Conrad Black and Canada

Conrad Black out of prison, July 22

I certainly do not approve of Conrad Black's past cheating ways. But I admire what he did in prison, learning and especially helping others to learn. I once worked as a social worker in a correctional centre and saw many young men on the wrong track. I tried to use books to encourage them and would have used his story had it been out. I hope he writes his story and that it provides an example of the wages of sin and how to turn adversity into opportunity. I hope he will use his journalistic skills to write a concise story that can be given to prisoners with their first issue of prison wear.

Gilda Katz, Toronto

I thought Conrad Black had revoked his Canadian citizenship. He is not a Canadian and he has an arrest and prison record and this makes him an undesirable and he should not be allowed to enter Canada. To feed his ego he thought it was more important for him to be classified as a lord than to be a Canadian. Many people in the world would give all they own to be called a Canadian, but not Conrad Black. His smug attitude will serve him well when he has nowhere to call home.

Josephine Kapitan, Innisfil

Now that Stephen Harper’s government has continually refused to respect court orders to defend the constitutional rights of Omar Khadr (a child soldier and Canadian citizen), I would assume it will have no interest in assisting Lord Black with his desire to return to Canada. After all, their justification for not assisting Khadr was the belief they should not interfere with American justice and I think everyone can safely assume Lord Black was not tortured for information prior to his day in court. American justice resulted in Black becoming a convicted criminal and if Harper has no interest in protecting the rights of Canadians, why would he be concerned with a criminal who chose to renounce his Canadian citizenship in the pursuit of greater power and status?